Sled runner



NOV. 19, 1940. i V- E WELCH 2,222,386

SLED RUNNER Filed Jan. 29, 1940 ,zo 36 zz M f2 i. /9 y A49 l XWJ# f wi zb- Z5 l /1 A73 l l l ZM Z7 gft ggl IZ am f F gg 5 40 5 ZZ Z9, ze 26m Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES rAreiv Fries 1 Claim.

The invention has for an object to effect improvements in attachable runner equipment for wagons and other vehicles, and in the present embodiment is shown adapted to a wagon frame.

It is a special aim of the invention to present an improvement in the construction of units attachable to wagon axle skeins with rapidity, and more particularly to simplify and cheapen the construction of such units at the same time aording a ruggedly strong and durable structure. When runners are required on wagen frames their use is ordinarily involved in very rough terrain, where roads are often badly rutted, and where stumps and gullies are apt to be encountered, and it is therefore an important aim of my invention to present a construction not only adapted to afford a runner mounting for a vehicle, but one which will withstand the severe usage involved when the vehicle is tilted laterally, or skids sidewise and is checked abruptly by the runner striking a rut or stump. It is particularly an aim to provide a novel means to steady the parts of the runners which ordinarily in such devices are projected forwardly or backwardly a considerable distance from the point of attachment to the axle, so that they will be liable in a minimum degree to breakage or twisting from lateral shocks. It is also the purpose to attain the last named improvement at the same time that the advantage of rocking mounting of the runner units may be preserved.

The provision of a novel specic construction of the skein-engaging units is one object of the invention.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in the embodiment of the invention, as will be readily understood from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a side elevation of a wagon running gear from which the wheels have been removed and replaced by my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, with bolsters and stakes removed.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section through the front runner unts on the line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the runner units.

There is illustrated a wagon gear comprising the usual axles Ii), provided with skeins Il, and retaining nuts I2 flanged to hold a wheel upon the skein, as usual. A pole I3 may be included, connecting rear and front trucks, and the usual hounds i4 and i5, and iifth wheel I6 may be in cluded, as well as other standard construction in couplings. The standard tongue il is shown pivoted for vertical swinging movement in the front hounds i5. Bolsters i8 and stakes i9 are shown in which a body 2E! may be set, the front bolster being pivoted by means of the usual king pin 2l, which also connects the pole to the front axle. The draft gear is not shown and may be of any usual kind.

The runner units are four in number, and all are identical in construction, applicable to either front or rear skeins, notwithstanding the lateral connections between their forward ends and the pole at the rear, and the tongue Il at the iront.

Each runner unit consists of a wooden runner or 1 felly 22, of conventional form and o t suitable proportions for strength and for attachment of the steel runner facing 23 in a conventional way, at the under side. On this runner there is permanently mounted a runner truss 2li, which is formed of heavy sheet metal, and it is an advantage that it may be formed of bro-ad strap stock. The blank of strap stock being cut or" proper length, is longitudinally slit at each end to form respective foot flanges or ears 25, which are each twisted a quarter turn in opposite directions on downwardly divergent diagonal axes of rotation and then bent downwardly so as to lie snugly against respective sides of the runner piece 22, these ears being apertured to receive fastenings 26 by which they are secured to the runner. The body of the blank is bent centrally to form a curved bight 21, on such arc that it may rest snugly upon and tting the upper side of the skein Il with its opposite end portions extending downwardly at an angle of approximately 90 degrees or less to each other, this angle not being arbitrary. This forms two legs 28 on each truss, and these are bent transversely to a substantially U-shape in cross section from the bases of the flanges 25 to the curved part 2l', whereby they are stiffened for the load to be carried and stresses to be sustained. Set between the legs 28 there is a saddle block 29 which may be of cast metal if desired, formed with a channelled upper side, the channel 39 conforming to the surface of the skeins Il, and receiving the skein snugly therein. This saddle block may project inwardly of and outwardly of the truss 2 so as to afford an extended support for opposing lateral stresses to which the runner may be subjected. This support is very wide longitudinally of the axis of the skein. The block 29 may be welded to the legs 28, or otherwise united with or secured thereto, so that, the skein being inserted between the bight 21 of the truss and the block 29, at the inner side of the unit, the unit may be wedged on the skein and secured by the nut l2; washers or other expedients being inserted between the nut and the block 29, if necessary, to secure a moderately snug t, still leaving the runner free enough to pivot on the skein as may be required.

A split sleeve device is provided for each pair of runner units, the rear sleeve device 3G being adapted to be engaged around the pole I3 for the rear units, while the forward sleeve 30 is engageable on the tongue l1. These are removably clamped to the pole and tongue respectively by being flanged at each side and having suitable clamp bolts 3| engaged between the flanges' to draw the sides of the sleeve togther upon the inserted member. On horizontal lateral studs'32 iixed on opposite sides of each sleeve, stay and support links 33 are pivoted, extended laterally outward and rearward and downwardly and connected to cross bars 34 which are pivotally set in suitable bearings 35 in the upper forward extremities of the upwardly curved forward ends of the runners. For this purpose the endsof the cross bars may be tenoned and fitted in the bearings 35 and heldreleasably as, by means of cotter pins 3B, or other fastening. 'I'he links are of such length that they will permit a limited rocking of the runner units on the respective skeins within proper limits for safety and yet attaining good supporting engagement with normal road surfaces. At the same time, by their lateral direction, the links serve as stays to hold the runners against lateral movement with respect to the pole I3 o'r tongue Il, as the case may be.

It will be seen that when therunner units are removed, they may be disconnected from the cross bars, and the sleeves 30-30 removed from the wagon, and all stored in a very small space. The sleeves may be left in place on the wa'gon permanently, if desired, and the links detached therefrom with the remaining parts. The t of the bars 34 in the bearings 35 will hold the runners against twisting on a horizontal fore and aft axis, at their forward parts and also aid in preventing lateral displacement.

It will be appreciated-that the invention is applicable to various constructions of wagons or vehicles other than that specifically disclosed, and if the vehicle should happen to be an autotractive one, the runner units may be applied on the front of the vehicle only, while the usual .traction devices are used. v

The disclosure made is purely exemplary in large part and many changes and modications in construction, and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as more particularly set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A runner element for the uses described consisting of a runner proper, and a truss member consisting of a portion of strap metal centrally bent to form a curved bight and two ,leg portions, the ends of the legs being longitudinally slotted to form ears, said ears being bent into spaced relation to receive the runner therebetween and being secured to the runner, and a saddle block fixed on and between the legs in spaced relation to said bight and being channelled on the side next the bight to receive snugly with said bight an axle member substantially as described, whereby the axle will be supported in said saddle block.

Y VERNE E. WELCH. 

